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[PrC] Throes of Fae

Everyone has heard of the dances of the fey. The beautiful, mesmerizing movements that can draw a mortal in where they shall be caught forever. Some though are released or are strong enough to escape. The memory of the dance however haunts them forever. While many eventually die, heartbroken but unwilling to give themselves over, others embrace the unearthly nature of the fey and delve into the unpredictable, alluring, inhuman wildness. This path alters them until their very humanity is swept away forever, becoming dark waltzings, creatures of the twilight of star and moon, sun and shadow.

Becoming A Dark Waltzing
Many different peoples succumb to the allure of the Dark Waltzing. Though druids and rangers are most likely to encounter the path, bards are the most likely to meet the necessary prerequisites.

Hit Die: d6

RequirementsFeats: Weapon FinesseSkills: Knowledge (nature) 8, Perform (dance) 6Language: SylvanSpecial: Must have been enticed or forced to dance with a fey creature.

Class Features
All the following are Class Features of the Dark Waltzing prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dark Waltzing gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Bonus Spells: Dark Waltzings gains bonus spells and an increase in caster level as they gain levels in this prestige class, as if from having a high ability score, as shown at the indicated levels above. A bonus spell can be added to any level of spells the waltzing already has the ability to cast.
This spell may be chosen from the Druid's spell list even if the previous casting class was of another type.

Throes of Fae (Ex): You may give into the haunting wildness of the fey spirit. Your features gain a horrible, alien beauty and your movements become unearthly graceful and dance-like. While in these throes a dark waltzing gains a +4 bonus to Dexterity, a +4 bonus to Charisma, and a +2 morale bonus to Will saves. She adds her (newly improved) Charisma-modifier as a deflection bonus to her AC while in these throes. These throes last for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the waltzing’s (newly improved) Charisma modifier. A dark waltzing may prematurely end her throes.
There is a cumulative 2% chance every round while in these throes that the dark waltzing loses all control, becoming Insane as the spell. This condition lasts until the end of the throes, which while insane cannot be ended prematurely.
A dark waltzing may succumb to these throes only once per encounter. At 1st level she can use her throes ability once per day. At 3rd level and every three levels thereafter, she can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of 4 times per day at 10th level). Going into these throes takes no time itself, but a dark waltzing can do it only during her action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Woodland Stride (Ex): A dark waltzing may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

At 10th level even magically manipulated areas do not cause you damage or impair you.

Low-light Vision (Ex): A Dark Waltzing can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Starry-Eyed (Ex): Your mind begins to roam the strange places of the fey. You no longer sleep as a normal being, but instead dance the night away. You are still semi-conscious and vaguely aware of your surroundings, so do not suffer any penalties on surprise or initiative rolls, and you are not helpless if attacked. You do however take a -6 penalty to spot and listen checks.

This ability only functions while in a natural setting. While within a city or artificial structure you cannot achieve the necessary state and must sleep as normal.

Cunning (Ex): A dark waltzing retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If the dark waltzing has uncanny dodge, she automatically gains great cunning (see below) instead.

Gambol (Su): A dark waltzing may use up one of their daily throes to Fascinate one or more creatures with their enthralling dances. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, and able to pay attention to the waltzing. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every two levels a waltzing attains beyond 1st, she can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.

To use the ability, a dark waltzing makes a Perform (dance) check. Her check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the waltzing cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and watches the dance rapturously, taking no other actions, for as long as the waltzing continues to dance and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per prestige level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the waltzing to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.

The dark waltzing may choose one of those successfully fascinated to become Charmed with her as the Charm Monster spell for 1 hour per level if they fail a second Will save. All Fascinated creatures but the charmed target are freed as the waltzing uses all her focus on an individual. She may not have more than 1 creature charmed at the same time.

At 9th level she may instead choose to completely bind her target to her as the Dominate Person spell instead of merely charming. She may not charm or dominate any other creature while the primary target is affected.

Visage of the Fair Folk (Ex): You gain a +2 bonus to your Charisma and a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.

Kick Up Your Heels (Ex): Your movements are as light as a feather. You use your Dexterity in the place of strength when making Jump and Climb checks. As well you add your dexterity modifier to Perform (dance) checks in addition to your charisma-modifier.

Wilder Throes (Ex): At 6th level, a waltzing's bonuses to Dexterity and Charisma during her throes each increase to +6, and her morale bonus on Will saves increases to +3. The cumulative chance to go insane is unaffected.

Great Cunning (Ex): A dark waltzing can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the waltzing by flanking her.

Woodwise (Ex): A dark waltzing may use Commune With Nature and Find the Path three times per day.

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Seems like a very cool class. I'm not good at saying if its balanced but it sure seems to be.. gotta say I'm interestedin using that class now for a druid or bard char sometime.. would be very neat. The abilities are very neat and seem pretty well balanced.

Only the mad may judge what is sane

"I swear... I'm going to kill you, raise you back to life... kill you again and than raise you as a zombie to do stupid demeaning things for the rest of your unatural undeath!" ~My necromancer to a cohort

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Why do you have to have been enticed or forced to dance? Couldn't you have done it willingly/on purpose?

well enticed is kind of willing.

Only the mad may judge what is sane

"I swear... I'm going to kill you, raise you back to life... kill you again and than raise you as a zombie to do stupid demeaning things for the rest of your unatural undeath!" ~My necromancer to a cohort

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

M-m-m-monster yoink!

I'm definitely digging this here, VT; especially given my love for evil-type Fey creatures, this is a perfect addition to a select few minor-villain groups in my upcoming campaign, specifically the brittanic/nordic portion.

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Yeah I'm deffinatly liking this.. would be very neat to do. My only question is why do they need weapon finesse? since it deals with being dexterous and such instead of strong, which fits a fey better?

Only the mad may judge what is sane

"I swear... I'm going to kill you, raise you back to life... kill you again and than raise you as a zombie to do stupid demeaning things for the rest of your unatural undeath!" ~My necromancer to a cohort

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Actually I think they both are fey of some form..maybe even just differnt spellings of the name.. either way the Seelie and Unseelie courts are involved now

Only the mad may judge what is sane

"I swear... I'm going to kill you, raise you back to life... kill you again and than raise you as a zombie to do stupid demeaning things for the rest of your unatural undeath!" ~My necromancer to a cohort

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

It's very cool; but I'm wondering why you have Druid spells listed under the bonus spells, it seems like Bard or Sorcerer would be more appropriate with the high Charisma.

Really, my only issue would be that the class abilities give you a lot of Charisma and Dexterity, but nothing in particular (unless you're already a bard or sorcerer, which in fairness you probably are) to use with it.
You might want a smaller ability, perhaps a lesser version of Gambol, to use with the artsy rage.

This is really cool, I've always believed that the Fey are among the coolest thing in the D&D mythos, and I think this class really captures what a fey PrC should be about.

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Originally Posted by Neko

Yeah I'm deffinatly liking this.. would be very neat to do. My only question is why do they need weapon finesse? since it deals with being dexterous and such instead of strong, which fits a fey better?

Yeah, that and I thought it needed SOME feat as a prerequisite. Open to suggestions for a replacement or additionals.

It's very cool; but I'm wondering why you have Druid spells listed under the bonus spells, it seems like Bard or Sorcerer would be more appropriate with the high Charisma.

Because they are delving into the 'natural world' and Sorcerer really has nothing to do with any of this, and though singing and dancing come into it, Bard spells don't fit very well either.

Really, my only issue would be that the class abilities give you a lot of Charisma and Dexterity, but nothing in particular (unless you're already a bard or sorcerer, which in fairness you probably are) to use with it.

Charisma and Dexterity help with a build devoted more towards a fey type creature. You can now duck and intimidate instead of powerhousing. You can befriend animals easier. Lots of uses for this even if you are not fighting.

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Does not sleeping incur any of those normal penalites, like being fatuiged, for not getting a good night's rest? It's sort of implied that it doesn't (and that would make for a harsh class penalty, I think, if it does) but it's not specifically defined either way.

Other than that, I have no qualms. This class looks like it'd be lots of fun for a friend or a foe.

Re: [PrC] Throes of Fae

Originally Posted by Magnor Criol

Does not sleeping incur any of those normal penalites, like being fatuiged, for not getting a good night's rest? It's sort of implied that it doesn't (and that would make for a harsh class penalty, I think, if it does) but it's not specifically defined either way.

Other than that, I have no qualms. This class looks like it'd be lots of fun for a friend or a foe.

No, no penalties. You are in a mystical dance of sorts that rejuvenates instead of tiring.